St. Francis Medical Center raises awareness for organ donation
St. Francis Medical Center, a member of Prime Healthcare, held a flag raising ceremony to commemorate April National Donate Life Month and to inspire people to register as organ donors. In unison with OneLegacy, Southern California’s organ, eye and tissue recovery organization, St. Francis has facilitated hundreds of organ donations. As it raised the Donate Life flag, the hospital raised community awareness for organ donation.
St. Francis’ Chief Nursing Officer Marilou Salao opened the ceremony and explained that the flag raising observance focuses national attention on the need for organ, eye, and tissue donation and the importance of registering to be a donor. Donate Life Month honors living donors and those who have passed, and it celebrates the lives saved through organ donation gifts.
Marilou said, “Organ donation honors and upholds the dignity of life and aligns with our mission. St. Francis is a committed supporter of organ donation, and our commitment reflects the importance and value that our doctors, nurses, leaders, and staff place on every life in our care.”
Marilou shared how organ donation touches the lives of caregivers, staff, and patient’s family members alike. One of the ways the hospital gives meaning to the range of emotions that can accompany organ donation — sadness, loss, gratitude, hope – is through an Honor Walk. St. Francis Medical Center’s Honor Walk brings together the St. Francis family and the donor’s family and gives them the opportunity to pay tribute to a patient who has chosen to donate his or her organs. As the patient is taken up to surgery, physicians and staff stand side-by-side with the donor’s family and friends along the corridors. A final touch is often shared with the patient to acknowledge and honor the person’s life and legacy.
“It is a time when the healthcare team can quietly and humbly express our gratitude to the patient and family members for their priceless and selfless gift,” said Marilou. “It is a powerful and moving moment when we as humans share a connection with the patient and the patient’s family members in recognizing the sanctity of life.”
Organ donation involves the collaboration of departments across the hospital, including Emergency, Trauma, ICU, Respiratory Therapy, Surgery, Spiritual Care, Case Management, Social Services, among others. Each unit was recognized at the ceremony, along with the hospital’s OneLegacy representatives.
OneLegacy is the federally-designated organ procurement organization serving the Southern California region. Its mission is to save and heal lives through organ, eye and tissue donation, comfort the families it serves, and inspire communities to donate life. St. Francis has partnered with OneLegacy since the late 1960s and was pleased to welcome three of its representatives at the ceremony: Angela Bolaris, Regional Director, Hospital Partnerships; Alonzo Urita, Program Manager, Hospital Partnerships; and Maribel Meza, OneLegacy Ambassador.
Angela Bolaris thanked St. Francis for its 60-year partnership and highlighted the ways the hospital most recently helped to save and improve lives. From 2023 to present, through the donation gifts of 37 patients, 82 lives were saved through organ donation, 4,800 lives were healed through tissue donation, and 33 people had their sight restored through cornea donation.
Highlighting the personal impact of organ donation was OneLegacy Ambassador Maribel Meza, whose father decided to become organ donor just two months before his unexpected passing in December 2019. Maribel recounted how his decision, one in which she had significant influence, provided a sense of comfort to her and her family. She said that her father was a good and hard-working man. His live-saving gift to those in need was an enduring extension of the kindness and generosity he demonstrated his whole life. She knows that her father’s wish for the recipients of his organs is for them to lead full and happy lives. And this brings her peace and reassurance.
Spiritual Care Chaplain Sister Paz Sanchez led attendees in a prayer as the Donate Life flag was raised by the hospital’s Public Safety team. She asked for blessings upon organ donors, recipients, St. Francis and OneLegacy, and acknowledged that organ donation was a special gift of love.
CEO Clay Farell offered final remarks and said, “I am always struck by how consequential the work that is done here is. Many of us come to work here that aren’t as close to the action, and it’s easy to lose sight of just what important things are taking place in people’s lives. They have eternal significance.”
Clay went on to describe a donor case that took place recently. “A 54-year-old was admitted in late February to the St. Francis ICU due to an injury. Unfortunately, the patient lost his battle. But because of the heart of this family, the OneLegacy team and the St. Francis team, this patient elected to give the gift of life.”
Clay shared that the patient’s right kidney was transplanted into someone in their 60s; his heart was transplanted to someone in their 50s who had been on the waiting list; and his pancreas was donated to research where advancements could lead to better treatments, and even cures, improved transplant outcomes, and new ways to regenerate and preserve pancreatic function. He added, “And what family has not been touched by diabetes in one way or another.”
Clay said the patient’s donation gave the family a sense of purpose and peace during an incredibly painful time. Knowing that their loved one was able to help others brought them comfort and a feeling that something good came out of their loss. It gave them hope and helped them begin to heal.
“For many families here at St. Francis,” Clay said, “the idea that their loved one’s legacy lives on through others is a powerful part of their grieving process. It is an honor for us to play our part in the journey.”
Clay said that while he was not holding a large pink dot placard like many in the audience were today, he held up what he said was the most important dot – a pink donor dot on his driver’s license, which was met by cheers from the crowd.
Clay closed the ceremony by saying, “Let’s spread the word of giving the gift of life. Thank you all for being here today and for making this an important part of St. Francis.”
OneLegacy National Statistics
- As of March 2025, more than 100,000 men, women, and children are currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant.
- 17 people die each day waiting for an organ.
- On average every 10 minutes another person is added to the transplant waiting list.
- One organ donor can save up to 8 lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of over 75 people through tissue donation.
- In 2024, 24,018 deceased and living organ donors combined for 48,149 lifesaving transplants.
- More than 19.5 million Californians have designated themselves as organ and tissue donors.
